Pacers Likely in Search of Draft Picks, Prospects in Return for Buddy Hield

Buddy Hield has long been in trade rumors regarding the Indiana Pacers. And rightfully so as one of the best shooters in the entire NBA.

Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, however, it seems Hield is finally trending towards finding a new destination.

“After contract extension negotiations stalled out, Buddy Hield and the Indiana Pacers have started a dialogue to work on finding a potential trade with another team, league sources say,” wrote Charania.

“Hield is open to a trade elsewhere, according to rival team sources, but no deal is imminent and there aren’t any current substantive talks with any other team.”

At 30-years-old, Hield would be a strong addition for near any team in the league looking to bolster their outside presence. In his career, Hield has shot a blistering 40 percent on 7.7 3-point attempts per game. Genuinely, he’s likely the best shooter in the league, save for Golden State superstar Steph Curry.

And his departure also makes sense for Indiana — who with Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, Jarace Walker and more — are pivoting towards a youth-based lineup to usher them into the future.

With that in mind, the Pacers are almost assuredly going to want draft picks or prospect in return for Hield.

Hield’s $94 million contract will be up at the end of the 2023-24 season, and he could be looking to secure another bag before entering the tail-end of his career. That might make him an expensive asset, but he could also command a decent amount of capital, too.

A lightly-protected first or up-and-coming prospect would likely be best-case scenario for the Pacers. On the flip side, leaving with a few seconds or young role player could be enough to get it done, should the market not be keen on Hield.

Regardless, be on the lookout for Indiana to make moves sooner rather than later.

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